Jeju (UCAN): Pope Francis lent his support to some 500 Yemeni refugees on the southern tourist island of Jeju, South Korea, sending €10,000 ($92,000) from the papal charities though Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, the apostolic nuncio to Korea.

The archbishop visited the Diocese of Cheju (Jeju) from July 28 to 29 to show the pope’s solidarity with the Yemeni refugees. He said that that the diocese’s care and efforts coincide with the wishes of Pope Francis.

The diocese provides the refugees with their daily necessities. In addition, Bishop Peter Kang released a pastoral letter on July 1 urging the Catholic faithful to support them and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea been active in offering support (Sunday Examiner, July 15).

Archbishop Xuereb visited a mission station of Moseulpo Church where nine refugees are staying and listened to their stories of hardship. The church provides them food and helps them to learn the Korean language.

“Pope Francis asked the refugees staying on Jeju not to lose their courage. There are no first-class or second-class citizens. We are all beloved human beings. When we admit other people and other religions, we can show our love concretely,” Archbishop Xuereb said.

Asking refugees to respect the law and system of South Korea, he added: “You will be welcomed in Korea when you prove you are not harmful to Korean society. You should cooperate with Koreans while staying here.”

“With some 500 Yemeni refugees, Jeju received national attention. It is shameful that we dispute only 500 refugees while Germany offered homes for one million refugees,” Bishop Kang said in his homily.